The Tale of the Three Brothers
by DataIntegrationThoughtEntity
Summary: Antioch Peverell, Cadmus Peverell, Ignotius Peverell. Three brothers of different personality and values. Follow their journey as they go from birth to death with the help of the three most powerful objects on this earth, The Deathly Hallows.
1. Antioch Peverell

**Author's Note: **I. AM. BACK. With a Harry Potter fic. It was inspired by a friend of mine, known as jewlzbird on harrypotterfanfiction . com... So… props to her.

**Disclaimer: **Don't own Harry Potter. I think everyone knows that.

**Credits: **jewlzbird, for… beta reading, plot idea, title, summary… a lot. lol

Antioch Peverell sat on top of an elder tree, swinging one leg lazily. The sun was high in the sky, and he still had plenty of time before he was expected home. He had about a dozen or so coins in his money pouch, hanging loosely on his leather belt. He was going to the market to see if the Muggles had anything of value. The branch he sat on was sturdy; it had to be to support his massive frame. Antioch wasn't fat, far from it. But he was heavily built, and large-boned. He was granted with much-envied physical strength. Of course, being the close-minded stubborn people that they were, most of the villagers attributed his handsomely proportioned body to his magic. The eldest of the Peverells almost pitied them and their inability to learn the magical arts. **Almost. **Antioch laughed.

The Peverells lived in a small community at the border of a forest, and there were few wizards around. But every so often, there'd be an arrogant wizard at the local wizard's only inn who dared challenge him. Antioch scoffed as he remembered the drunken man, staggering about, brandishing his wand and making obviously hostile advances to him. He wasn't any fun at all. There were challengers like him, their minds too blurred by the magically brewed ale to stay away from Antioch.

And there were the other challengers. No, the other challenger, for there was only one man who could beat him. The laid-back Peverell scowled as he crossed his thoughts. It was the first time he had ever lost a duel, and he wouldn't ever forget it.

&&&

He had walked into the inn, swinging open the door with a confident smile. Most of the inn regulars greeted him with shouts, while the travelers looked up from their meals. The inn was crowded that day, which only meant that more people were witness to his defeat. But Antioch could not possibly have known how bad that particular evening would turn out, or he would have stayed at home. With one hard commanding glance, he managed to intimidate Gallus off his chair. Gallus was a coward. If nothing else, Antioch respected his sober challengers. The skinny man who oddly reminded the Peverell of a rooster, with the way his bright red hair was cut, jumped off his stool and scurried to the corner of the room. Without a word of thanks, Antioch grabbed the stool with a powerful hand and threw his weight on it. Slamming a fist onto the counter, he demanded attention.

The innkeeper of the Blue Dragon Scale apologized hurriedly to a tall blonde man, and then hurried over to the brawny Peverell.

"Ivo," Antioch said in greeting, his face resting lazily on his hand.

Ivo Livius nodded and gave a small false smile. "Good evening, Antioch. How may I help you?"

The Peverell shrugged nonchalantly. "I heard you brewed a new batch of ale. I love fresh ale, give me a tankard."

As Ivo hurried off to fill a tankard, Antioch heard the blonde man growl. His dark green eyes darted to the stranger. "What's your problem?" he growled back.

The blonde stranger's cool eyes gazed back at him. "Nothing much. I just don't understand customs here. Back where I used to live, the innkeeper served whoever arrived **first**."

Antioch's hands curled into fists. But before he could reply, Ivo slammed a tankard filled to the brim before him.

The innkeeper grinned and declared with a grin as he caught the coin Antioch tossed at him, "Never let it be claimed that service at the Scale is too slow."

The Peverell just shrugged and gulped down the tankard. The ale was to his satisfaction.

And then Gallus accidentally slammed into him. He had apparently been pushed by another man, but the culprit was never caught as he had slipped away. Regardless, Antioch began choking on his drink. He jumped to his feet and grabbed Gallus, who was staring up at him with fear. Growling, he threw him into a table and drew his wand, pointing it at the gasping man's throat. "Get out your wand," he growled.

Gallus fumbled with his wand, but took it out.

Smiling grimly, Antioch obeyed proper procedure and turned in a half circle and took three long strides, disregarding the fact that his dueling opponent was too busy sobbing in fear to do the same. _Coward. _His third step over, he spun around and roared, "_**RELASHIO!**_" The sparks the shot out from his wand missed Gallus, falling short, but he had succeeded in scaring him, not that he wasn't positively terrified before.

But his toothy grin faltered as the blonde stranger stepped up.

"Auguamenti!" The intervention wasn't needed, as the fire had gone out, but the intervention made the stranger's intentions clear.

Antioch's eyebrows rose. "You step between my opponent and I?"

The stranger's mouth was set in a firm, determined line. "Opponent? This is no duel. This poor man obviously has no intention of fighting you. So if you're not too much of a coward, why don't you let me fight in his place? I assure you, I can duel, if that's what you're looking for."

The Peverell's eyes flashed dangerously. _Coward, am I? _He answered the challenge, not with words, but with a spell.

"_**STUPEFY!**_"

The blonde countered with a shield charm, not uttering a single word. Then, he waved his wand at something behind the Perevell. He spun around to see his half filled tankard come flying at him with astonishing speed and accelerating. He ducked to avoid it, but the tankard tipped over, dousing him with ale. He heard the laughter of the other people present, and felt red hot rage. He got back to his feet and raised his wand, intending to hex, but instead found himself performing a banishing charm (Depulso) to get rid of the now-empty tankard flying at him again. His aim was true, and the tankard disappeared and reappeared elsewhere in the room (a startled shout confirmed that it had landed somewhere behind him). He raised his wand again for his hex, but it was suddenly blown out of his hand. He cursed, and then felt the tankard slam into the back of his head. Then a tripping jinx was placed upon him, and within the space of a second, something searing hot was pressed against his neck.

He opened his eyes to find the blonde standing over him triumphantly, his wand at his throat. He was smiling.

Antioch cursed, but there was nothing he could do. He had lost the duel, and attacking the stranger after he had recuperated his wand (which was rather tempting) would have outraged the crowd.

And so Antioch Peverell lost the first duel ever and left the Blue Dragon Scale soaking wet and smelling strongly of ale, with a permanent burn mark on his neck. But worst of all was the mortifying deafening laughter coming from the inn.

He would later know the stranger as Hermanus Celsus, commonly known as Herk.

&&&

Antioch sighed heavily and returned back to reality, startled by the distance the sun had traveled while he was lost in his memory. He realized that he had been absently fingering his scar, and moved his fingers away from his thick neck. Stretching, he climbed out of the tree, not without difficulty. Ignotius was the agile one. Cracking his neck, he began to walk to the marketplace at a leisurely pace.

What happened with Herk would never occur again. Ever. Right after the incident, Gallus had gotten a little bold, but a good beating took that newfound courage out of him. And he had been training. He forcefully engaged his brothers in duels. Though they complained, neither of them could deny that the training had benefited all three of them. Antioch's improvement was complementary. And he had heard rumors... People had been claiming that Herk had dropped by the inn again lately. He hoped it was true, and not something Gallus came up with to spite him indirectly. Indirect rebellion was annoying.

The marketplace wasn't particularly busy today. He nodded to a man selling what he claimed to be fresh vegetables. As he inspected the goods, Antioch felt something brush against his robes. With the same lightning quick reflexes he used to draw his wand, he grabbed the pickpocket's arm before he could run.

Startled, the young man dropped the Peverell's money pouch, and it fell to the floor, the coins rolling out. He was a head shorter than Antioch, and couldn't have been more than maybe five years younger. His unkempt brown hair fell over his frightened eyes; a typical street urchin, living of the earnings of richer folk.

His vice-like grip tightened, and the young man's face contorted with pain. "You trying to steal from me?"

The thief gulped.

Antioch smiled without humor. "Do you know who I am?"

The thief struggled uselessly for a while against his grip and stared, unsure of how to answer.

"No?" His eyebrows rose. "Very well then, kid, I'll tell you." His head tilted a bit to his side, and the boy saw it.

Though he had been aiming for the money, next to where the pouch had hung loosely from Antioch's belt was fastened a greater treasure. A wand. This man was a wizard. He paled, and understood then that while pick pocketing such a large man was unwise, the man being a wizard made it an even graver mistake. Antioch smiled, seeing that he understood. Then he relinquished his grip. But the thief hadn't even dared to hope that the wizard would forgive him. The magical stick poked his chest once and the man muttered something, then he fell to the ground, unable to move. As he crossed the border from the conscious world to his unconsciousness, he couldn't help thinking that maybe if he had a stick like that too, he would have maybe stood a chance…

Muggles. Now even more alert to the difference between him and the non-magical population, he used a summoning charm to return his money to his hand, instead of bending over and picking them up. Then he turned to the vender selling the vegetables. Though he smiled pleasantly and pretended that what had just happened didn't affect him at all, he was pleased to find newfound respect in the man's expression.

"I'll just have a sack of potatoes, if it's not too much trouble." And he smiled as the man scrambled to fill the sack as quickly as he could, as full as he could.

**Author's Notes: **So I hoped I didn't blind you with the terribleness of it… but wtv. I'm satisfied with it, I guess. So, uh, review?


	2. Cadmus Peverell

**Author's Note: **OMG. THIS PLACE IS CHAOS. It was amazing how FAST my story got pushed back… hmph. If I wasn't so inspired I'd abandon the fic…

**Disclaimer: **Don't own Harry Potter. I think everyone knows that.

**Credits: **jewlzbird, for beta-ing. lol

_How could you take his life away? _

_(What made you think you had the right?)  
How could you be so full of hate?_

_(To take away somebody's life)  
And when I heard you let him die  
And made the world all wonder why  
I sat at home and on my own I cried alone  
I scratched your name  
On the side of a bullet_

_Side of a Bullet by Nickelback_

&&&

Cadmus Peverell laughed at the brunet who stumbled over a rock and nearly lost his footing. Embarrassed, Rian got back on his feet, grinning awkwardly.

The second of the Peverell brothers sat atop a tree stump, looking down on what he called his 'Crew'. The young Muggles of the village were more than eager to be allowed to hang out with the handsome wizard. Among them was Rian, the teenage son of a shopkeeper who would often let them sneak into the shop and nick stuff. The Crew members numbered about a dozen or so, with Cadmus always walking ahead of them.

The respect he got was far better than his older brother's. Why intimidate when you could impress? Cadmus wasn't gifted with the same physical strength as his brother. He was, however, a bit taller. His dark hair was longer and arranged neatly. His eyes were also brighter, making him more pleasant to be around. And of course, that accorded him a certain advantage when it came to charming the young ladies in the village.

But Cadmus wasn't disloyal. There was a certain individual he had given his heart to long ago, and he happily ignored all other flirtatious advances. Rhea. His forehead creased in worry as she once again came to mind. She had been terribly sick lately… Cadmus knew his mother was fond of the girl, and was working on getting her better. His mother was a formidable witch, and could cure pretty-much any non-magical disease. This wasn't the first time anyone caught a fever, but Cadmus couldn't help but worry. The last time he had been to see her, she was so pale and talked as if she couldn't hope to survive…

The Peverell shook his head.

"Are you okay?" Darrell was looking at him apprehensively, as was the rest of the Crew, Cadmus noticed.

The dark haired man shrugged. He couldn't look weak, not with the Crew. "Yeah, fine. Just a bit bored. There's nothing to do around here."

There were mutters among the Crew.

"You want to go to the shop?" Rian asked hopefully.

Cadmus shook his head. "You go ahead… I've got some business to attend to."

He got up and trudged to the part of the village where most of the Muggles lived, right next to the market. He stopped in front of one of them and tapped lightly on the door, as he had already done so many times before, but under more cheerful circumstances.

The door swung open. As Cadmus had expected, his mother was there. She was a beautiful woman, and most of the men in the village couldn't believe how dangerously close she was to her fiftieth birthday. Until they found out she was a witch, that is.

"Cadmus," she said, embracing her second son.

The young man's heart wasn't in the hug. Even as he closed his arms around his mother, he asked in a shaky voice, "Rhea?"

"She'll be fine, don't worry about it. I'll leave you two alone," his mother replied, slipping past him and out the door.

Cadmus swallowed hard. Then he wandered into the house.

"Cadmus? Is that you?"

The Peverell's eyes widened. Relieved as he was that Rhea now had the energy to greet him, the lack of emotion in her voice troubled him. Creaking open the door to her room, he found her in bed, looking physically cured. But the dull look in her eyes sent a pang of sadness trough the young man's heart.

"Rhea?" He hurried to her side. "What's wrong?"

Her sad eyes bore into his. "I don't know. I just feel as if my time left is... well, limited."

Cadmus froze. "No… don't say that, you'll be fine." His hands closed around hers.

She smiled grimly. "Aren't you the one who told me death was part of the natural order of things?"

"But… I said that to console you about the death of a pet. I-you..."

"How is this any different?"

Cadmus bit his lip to keep from crying. "It just is!" he exclaimed angrily. "You've got your entire life in front of you, please…"

"No." The certainty with which she said this chilled the Peverell's soul. "Cadmus… I see him in my dreams."

"Who?" he whispered back.

"The hooded figure. I didn't know who he was at first, but as he spoke I understood. It was Death, and he wanted me. And I… I felt ready to join him."

Cadmus clutched her hand harder. "No, you can't really believe that," he pleaded angrily, "They're just fever-induced dreams. They're not real, Rhea!"

Instead of getting angry in turn, she just shook her head again. "Cadmus… I'm not asking you to believe me. Just to understand… You're the one who has a life ahead of you. Please, don't waste it mourning me."

&&&

"Cadmus?"

The enraged wizard glanced over his shoulder to see Rian climbing up the hill, stumbling ever so often and out-of-breath. He didn't have magic to help him up the amazingly steep hill. But when he did finally drop to the wizard's feet, panting, he quickly realized Cadmus wasn't in the best of moods.

"What do you want?" Cadmus asked, not bothering to conceal his displeasure with his company.

"Oh. Um, nothing much. I can come back at a better time…" he trailed off.

Cadmus was capable of loving, as was the case with Rhea, but he wasn't the most empathic of men and failed to understand Rian's forlorn, dejected expression.

"Yeah. I want to be alone, Rian."

The shorter man nodded slowly. "Oh. Okay then," he said flatly. Then he turned around and stumbled back down the hill.

If Cadmus wasn't torn up inside about Rhea, he might have noticed something about the way Rian trudged down the hill, looking for all in the world like a solitary, rejected figure. He was probably feeling that way too.

But Cadmus' thoughts were elsewhere. No matter how hard he tried to dissuade her, she remained convinced that Death wanted her. That didn't make sense. She talked about Death as if he was a person. And her despair was infective. Cadmus was undoubtedly the most charismatic and persuasive person in the entire reason and if he couldn't make her see reason, no one could. He had read somewhere that there was a potion that might help, but the ingredients looked so complicated. Cadmus was never really into potions anyway. He wasn't even a half-decent cook; not even magic could make his concoctions edible.

He shook his head in grim resolution. His dark hair fell in front of his eyes, and he didn't even bother to brush them away. He brought his legs closer to his body, and hugged himself. He wondered briefly at what the Crew would think if they say their strong leader and role-model in this state. After all, the hill, steep as it was, was still accessible to Muggles, as Rian had proven. But then he decided it didn't matter. He had always been so preoccupied with his image. But all that mattered in the world now was Rhea. What could he do for her? And as he sat there, waiting for the answer to his problem that would never come, Cadmus Peverell cried.

&&&

When he awoke, it was dark. It was sometime in the middle of the morning, probably. No one had realized he was gone yet; he'd often spend the night out with the Crew.

As he got to his feet, he immediately realized something was wrong. He wasn't sure what, but his instincts told him that something bad had happened. Something really bad. He clenched his jaw and his heart sank. Cadmus obviously wasn't in the most optimistic of moods. Sighing, and deciding that if something bad had happened he couldn't do anything about it, he turned on spot and Disapparated.

He appeared in the middle of the village in front of a startled man, who jumped back and lost his footing. Cadmus instinctively reached out and grabbed his arm.

"Thanks," grumbled the man, who sounded more annoyed than grateful.

Cadmus realized it was Rhea's uncle. "Hey, what're you doing out so late?"

"I could say the same to you, wizard."

The Peverell growled impatiently. Legilimency wasn't his strongest point, but he had learned it from his father (it was amazingly annoying to have your parents knowing everything about your life, and his father refused to teach him Occlumency) and this agitated Muggle was off-guard. Though he was hostile, the hostility wasn't directed at Cadmus.

Peering deep into the older man's anguished eyes, Cadmus learned the truth. He recoiled from Rhea's uncle, biting back a sob.

"No," he whispered, "It can't be true."

The man's eyes widened. "What? What are you talk-" He stopped. Everyone knew the second-eldest of the Peverells was a mind-reader. "Oh."

"Rhea…" Cadmus couldn't stop the tears rolling down his cheeks and angrily wiped them off with the sleeve of his shirt, hoping impossibly that the older man didn't notice him crying. "She…" Previously staring at the ground, he looked up at the man. "What happened?" he asked.

The other man averted his gaze, but his expression softened. "She was found drowned in a river at around midnight."

Cadmus was only half-listening. Regardless of how it happened, it had. His heart was in pain, yet his mind was having trouble understanding what this meant. "I…" he began, feeling tears once more cascading down his face. "Thank you," he finished flatly. He turned to Disapparate, but a firm hand on his shoulder stopped him.

No further words were exchanged between the two, but Cadmus began crying, expressing his grief more openly. As Rhea's uncle removed his hand from the Peverell's trembling shoulders, Cadmus finally Disapparated.

&&&

His parents were home, in the living room. They both looked up at him in one synchronized motion. Cadmus didn't say anything, but slumped down on a chair and stared at a crack in the floorboards.

"Cadmus." His father's voice was authoritative, but not unkind.

Cadmus Peverell looked up into the eyes of the Legilimens. His father held his gaze for a moment, then his eyebrows arched in surprise and he frowned. The older wizard nodded his understanding.

Cadmus' head dropped into his hands, while his parents talked in soft, quiet voices. Their conversation was more muttering than anything else.

"Cadmus. Look at me."

Cadmus sighed. "Yes?"

"You have to cope with these things," his father said, "It's alright to grieve, but you have to move on. That's what Rhea wanted, wasn't it?"

The young man didn't answer.

"It's the natural state of things. Death is inevitable."

Death. The hooded man in Rhea's dreams.

"That river…" his father continued, "I've never been there, but I've heard people call it the River of Death."

Cadmus shivered.

"The waters have been moving at terrifying speeds for as long as anyone can remember. They say it's cursed and that the water itself was created by the essence of Death. I'm not sure about this, but I do know that despite magical attempts by the most potent wizards, no one has ever managed to calm the rapids. Rhea knew what she was doing when she went there. She was ready for Death."

"I know," Cadmus growled.

His father didn't answer.

"I knew… I was talking to her… I should have stopped her." He bit his fist to keep from crying.

"Don't blame yourself, Cadmus," his father said, frowning.

The young wizard looked away. "I'm going to my room."

He stopped halfway up the stairs. Death. His river. He had taken the most important thing in his life away from him. What made him (it? Cadmus wasn't sure) think he had the right to? He didn't. Rhea had her whole life in front of her. She was happy with Cadmus, and he with her. He was considering proposing… but Death wouldn't let him. Why did he hate Cadmus so?

The wizard shook his head. His father was wrong. Death wasn't necessarily inevitable. At least dying by his river wasn't. He'd find a way to stop the flowing of that accursed river.

Cadmus went to his room, but he didn't cry. Instead, he stared out the window. Mourners were often numb after the death of a loved one. But Cadmus stared not emotionlessly, but with grim determination. He had a goal now.

**Author's Notes: **Yeah. I don't know why I used Nickelback. It fits.. sorta. lol


	3. Ignotius Peverell

**Author's Notes: **...Yeah.

**Disclaimer: **Don't own Harry Potter. This is fan-made and intended only for entertainment.

Ignotius Peverell shifted through his wardrobe quickly and almost immediately located the heavy white robes. He ripped off the dirty shirt he was wearing and donned the formal clothing.

There was a knock at his door, or something more like a refrained pounding. Ignotius ran to answer it before Antioch broke through the poor piece of wood again.

Antioch looked annoyed. "Cadmus says he isn't coming."

The youngest Peverell blinked. "Not coming? But, then, what's he doing?"

Antioch wasn't any taller that his younger sibling, but his massive frame still made it look like he was towering over Ignotius. "He shut himself in his room, crying his eyes out like you did when you were little."

Ignotius frowned at the comment. "Well, it appears you're already dressed," He pointed to the older wizard's robes. "Shall we go? It'll look funny if none of the Peverells show up for the first funeral in years. The villagers already aren't too fond of us."

"You're right," he muttered. Turning, he Disapparated. Ignotius followed suit.

They reappeared behind the gathering crowd, as to not startle anyone. They saw their parents talking to some people they didn't know.

Ignotius' calm blue eyes scanned the crowd for familiar faces. There was Cadmus' Crew, obviously wondering where their bold leader had wandered off to. Gallus was cowering at the back of the crowd, looking unsure of the reason for his presence there. He didn't even know Rhea that well. The Livius' had gathered as well. And there, next to the Livius' was a young couple Ignotius had never seen before. But they were apparently wizards, judging by the way they dressed and the way the man looked at everyone else. Curious, Ignotius walked down to them.

The blonde man turned when he saw the Peverell coming, and he creased his brow, as if trying to figure out a complex dilemma or trying to remember something. The woman turned too, and her eyebrows rose in surprise.

Ignotius smiled warmly and held out his hand in greeting. The man appeared confused, but took it and gave him a firm handshake. "Hello."

The Peverell nodded. "Hello. Are you new around here? I haven't seen you or your wife-"

"Sister," the man cut in, frowning now. The woman who was apparently his sister shook her head, but she had an amused playful grin plastered on her face.

"Oh, um," Ignotius reddened and fumbled with his words, embarrassed, "Sorry."

An angry hand descended on the youngest Peverell's shoulder, and he heard his brother's ruff growl at his ear. The blonde man looked at him again, with renewed hostility, and his hand moved to his wand.

"**Herk**."

Oh. So the man he had been conversing with was Hermanus, Antioch's mortal enemy. Oops.

Herk glared. "Come on, let's go," he murmured, walking off. After a quick regretful glance at Ignotius, his sister followed.

Antioch growled at him, and was about to say something when a trumpet sounded, silencing the crowd.

That's right. Ignotius had almost forgotten why they were here; to pay their respects to the recently deceased Rhea. "Cadmus should be here…"

"Yeah, well, he's too much of a coward," was his brother's harsh reply, his hands balled up into fists at his sides.

Ignotius grunted softly in reply. His eyes were fixed on the coffin. It was carved out of oak and polished. There were delicate fragile-looking designs ornamenting the lid of the coffin… in which laid Rhea's drowned body. Ignotius shivered, and averted his thoughts from Rhea's death. He forced himself to think of something positive. The coffin had been painstakingly made with love…

The Muggles, three on each side, carried the coffin, not without effort, to a hole which had been dug in the ground. Next to the freshly-dug hole with appropriate dimensions to fit the oak coffin stood Rhea's uncle, his clothes carrying signs of vigorous physical labor, still clutching his spade. He stared at the coffin solemnly.

Ignotius felt his eyes water, and quickly wiped away his tears before his older, tougher brother could see them. Antioch wouldn't appreciate him crying over someone he didn't even really know personally.

As the coffin-bearers moved closer, Ignotius thought he sensed something in the air in front of them. A split-second later, Cadmus Apparated, standing in between the coffin and the grave. He was growling, and was clutching his wand so hard it looked as though it might snap.

The startled Muggles moved back a step, and one of them let go of the coffin, though it thankfully didn't drop.

The enraged wizard was a frightening sight. His eyes were blood-shot from countless hours of crying. Ignotius didn't think he went to sleep the last night. His normally properly-arranged dark hair was unkempt, with strands partially covering his eyes. The Peverell was breathing heavily, and seemed unnaturally wild and dangerous.

"Antioch… what's he doing?" Ignotius asked, alarmed, his hand groping his robes in search of his wand. Ah, where did he put it? He cursed his own forgetfulness.

The older Peverell didn't reply.

Cadmus growled again, menacingly. "Drop her," he ordered, glaring at the Muggles who were holding the coffin.

Terrified, they obeyed, dropping the coffin, and ran.

The Peverell stowed his wand into his robes, and shaking, approached the oak coffin.

Rhea's uncle stared at him. "Hey…" he began slowly, "Hey! Get away from there! You're not allowed to touch-!" He had been walking towards Cadmus intending to pry his fingers off the coffin if he had too, but one flick from Cadmus's wand had him frozen in mid-stride.

Cadmus grunted, then turned back to the coffin, but instead received a crushing blow to his stomach. Reeling back in pain, he lashed out blindly.

Antioch caught his arm, and painfully twisted it over his back, the way he often did when they were young. But the oldest Peverell didn't have the same mocking tone in his voice when he spoke this time. He wasn't happy. "Cadmus Peverell, **what** do you think you're **doing**?!"

Cadmus looked into his brother's angry face, and despite the pain his arm was causing him, managed to sneer back. "What's it to you?"

Antioch's fist swung, and Cadmus landed on his back, on the floor, clutching his nose and glaring rebelliously.

Antioch advanced menacingly, but Ignotius chose this moment to intervene and Apparated between them. "Stop it, please," he pleaded to Antioch, who looked ready to pummel his brother.

The oldest Peverell was about to make some snide remark when he realized that everyone present (and that was pretty much the whole village) was staring at them, Herk with a smile on his face. Fuming, Antioch turned around and crossed his arms, but to Ignotius's relief, didn't make any more hostile advances towards Cadmus.

Ignotius then turned to his elder brother who was still sitting on the floor, eyes blazing with rage. One look at those optics told him that calming Cadmus wasn't going to be an easy feat to accomplish. "Look, Cadmus, I understand that you're… upset, but… like you've told me so many times before, image is an important thing," he said quietly, "And, well, this isn't helping the village's view of the Peverells."

Cadmus opened his mouth to retort, then thought better of it and instead grunted. He stood up, brushing the dust off of his robes. With one last regretful glace at the coffin, he Disapparated.

As soon as he was gone, Antioch snarled, "What do we do now? Should we stay for the funeral services?"

"I think I speak for the village when I say that no one wants you here, **Peverell**," said Herk, one eyebrow raised, as if daring Antioch to defy his statement.

The already agitated Peverell grinded his teeth together, his eyes radiating hatred. "What do you know?" he said, knowing that Herk probably had a reply ready.

And indeed he did. "I know what the people want. Unlike you high and mighty Peverells, who act like you're just so much better than the rest of us." He was backed up by the shouts of some defiant souls, and a few wizards. The Crew discussed among themselves in hushed voices, the event that had just unfolded obviously altering their view of Cadmus.

Ignotius was appalled by the reputation his brothers had gained, yet he couldn't say he was at all surprised. He'd often overheard his parents worrying about the direction his elder brothers were taking in life. But it still hurt to see the anger in the people's eyes. And they obviously thought the same of him, even though he didn't show his face around the village a lot. They were prejudiced because he was a Peverell.

"Get out of here!" screamed a particularly agitated woman, and someone threw something at them. It fell short.

But whatever hostile actions they had in mind ceased when Antioch drew his wand. There was the flicker in his eyes that only appeared when he was serious about a duel.

The crowd backed up, trotting on toes and shoving in their eagerness to recoil from the man who looked just as dangerous, if not more than, his maddened brother.

Ignotius bit his lower lip. Leave it to Antioch to intimidate the crowd into silence. He much preferred Cadmus's charismatic coaxing, annoying as it was. But then again, Cadmus was in a pitiful state at the moment, and was the one who desperately needed comforting. "Antioch, that might not be such a good idea…" he said. The last thing they needed was another reason to be hated.

Though Ignotius could see the desire to inflict harm to impose superiority written all over his brother's face, Antioch stowed away his wand and Disapparated. Sighing with relief, he followed him.

&

Ignotius reappeared in the living room of their house. Cadmus and Antioch were staring each other down; Cadmus was sitting on a chair and had locked eyes with his older brother when he Apparated into the room. Antioch nodded in his direction without breaking his staring contest when Ignotius appeared, but other than that, neither of his elder brothers paid any attention to his entrance.

"So-" he began to break the silence.

"What?" muttered Antioch, looking away.

"Um… that certainly was… an enlightening experience."

Cadmus sighed heavily and buried his head in his hands.

"You okay?" Ignotius asked, worried.

Cadmus grunted and looked up. "Fine. I just can't believe I lost my cool like that. I made a bad impression on everyone, I know I did…"

Ignotius shrugged. "Yeah…" he agreed.

His brother looked up at him. "I'm sorry, Ignotius. Still, I hope you're not too mad at me to do me one small favour… and I'll need you too, Antioch," he said, looking over to the eldest Peverell.

Antioch grunted, crossed his arms over his chest, and leaned back against the wall, but Cadmus could tell he was listening. If he played his cards right, he could get his brothers to do this for him…

Sighing, he began, "I've been thinking about the river. The one that… **killed **Rhea. I… I don't know, I just feel that there's nothing I can do for her anymore except try to stop the accursed current from claiming any more lives. Yes, I know the best wizards around have all tried and failed," he said when Ignotius opened his mouth to protest, "but I have to at least try. We're brothers; won't you do this with me?"

**Author's Notes: **so... like... I'm TRYING to pick this up... lol. I don't know.


	4. Encounter with Death

**Author's Notes: **This chapter was kind of fun. Kind of. I don't know if it flows with the rest of the story.. or if anything flows at all.. but I'm trying, lol.

**Disclaimer: **Don't own Harry Potter. This is fan-made and intended only for entertainment.

They woke early the next day, before dawn, and ate breakfast in silence. There was a somber mood present, and none of them could find the right words to counter it. Cadmus seemed lost in thought as he nibbled his bread. Antioch watched him as he thought about the previous night.

He had realized how great an accomplishment this would be, if they succeeded. They would once again be heroes, and the village would have no choice but to submit. After all, it was the feared river no one could cross. And that Herk wouldn't be able to say anything.

Ignotius swallowed a bite nervously. Out of the three, he was the least eager to leave. The plan seemed like folly to him... but that was all the more reason to tag along. He might not have been the strongest, or most talented, but he just might be able to keep his brothers from causing unnecessary trouble or doing anything too foolish.

"Done?" That was Antioch's husky voice.

Cadmus stood up without saying a word, and Disapparated. Antioch went next. Sighing, Ignotius couldn't do much more than follow.

&

It was still dark outside, and the absence of clarity and light was troubling. They found themselves standing in front of a raging current. The river was always like that, but Ignotius shivered. For some reason, today, in the darkness, it looked… **angry**.

Solemnly, the other two walked closer, with matching strides. Cadmus looked grim, while Antioch looked as he always did when faced with a particularly difficult challenge.

Cadmus was officially leading, but it was Antioch who impulsively cast the first spell. His wand cast off bright sparks, but the temporary light was swallowed by the water, and didn't even seem to slow it. The elder brother growled.

Cadmus took the next opportunity to try his own spells. Ignotius watched as his brothers muttered incantation after incantation, pointing their wands and directing their magical energies towards the murky depths. Yet there was something in the water, some demonic energy that cancelled out their efforts, absorbed them, and rendered them useless. There did not seem to be a bottom to the river, and Ignotius found himself wondering just how deep it was. If it really was a river carrying the power of Death, could it possibly be bottomless? An empty abyss, devoid of life, light, and warmth. He sighed. Maybe he was thinking too much. But he couldn't shake his anticipation, nor could he rid himself of the trepidation that filled him. He couldn't gather up the willpower to challenge Death either, so he apologized silently to his brother, and watched.

Cadmus was too busy racking his brain for ideas to care about Ignotius' state of mind. He hadn't thought it would be easy, but it would have been nice to have been rewarded for his efforts. But the unchanging flow continued, taunting him. Next to him, Antioch was losing his cool.

Ignotius was watching uncomfortably as the tension rose, when it struck him. "Cadmus-" he began.

"What is it?" snapped his older brother, his displeasure evident on his features.

"Maybe we're going about this the wrong way. What if, instead of directly confronting the river, we find some way around it?"

"What do you propose we do then?" snarled Antioch.

"I don't know, maybe something like… a bridge! That's it. A bridge would definitely..."

Antioch opened his mouth as if to argue, but didn't – couldn't – say anything. After all, Ignotius' point was valid, and rather clever. He reluctantly nodded.

Cadmus glanced at his younger brother curiously. "Are you… that doesn't…" Then he sighed. "It's the best idea we have," he muttered.

Ignotius nodded, and stepped forwards. It was still an act of defiance, but he could do this. Drawing his wand, he muttered a few incantations.

When he reopened his eyes, there was a solid-looking bridge to greet him. He let out a sigh of relief.

"Not yet, Ignotius. We still have to make sure it'll hold," Cadmus mentioned calmly, adding strengthening charms to Ignotius' magical creation.

The youngest Peverell winced. "You want to walk across it?"

"What's wrong? Are you scared?" Antioch demanded.

"No," he lied. Of course he was scared. It was a normal reaction.

"I'll go then," the eldest volunteered. He was slightly irritated that Ignotius had found a solution before them, and wanted to prove himself braver, to reassure himself of his superiority.

Rolling up his sleeves and fuming internally, he took a step. And then another. Despite the rushing of the waters below him, his resolve held. So did the bridge. He continued advancing. Ignotius' magic seemed to be doing the trick. He dared quicken his pace.

And then, as he was halfway across the bridge, he felt a sudden chill in his bones. The blood drained from his face, and he froze, unable to move any further. A strong gust picked up from behind him. It blew at his hair wildly and the solid man found himself having to struggle against it to stay on his feet. He turned to his brothers. Was it just him, or did it seem to be getting darker?

"_Lumos_," he growled.

His wand lit up and he nearly dropped it in his awe. The winds were converging in front of him, into a solid shape. A dark hooded figure in long black robes. It looked up, and though it didn't remove its hood, Antioch **did** drop his wand in awe. It clattered onto the wood of the bridge, and rolled off, plopping into the now calm depths below. Without the light of the wand, he was blind, but he could **sense** the being facing him smile.

Antioch gave a violent start when Cadmus laid his hand on his shoulder, and nearly attacked his brother.

"_Lumos_," both Cadmus and Ignotius proclaimed in unison, summoning light. Somehow they had ended up on the bridge behind him.

Ignotius struggled to control his breathing. He had known this was a bad idea. It felt so cold… and if what was in front of them was what he thought it was, he doubted they were much of a match for it. The phrase 'looking Death in the eye' had never been so literal before… although if Death **did** remove his hood and stare back Ignotius wasn't sure he'd be able to keep from doing the sensible thing and running.

Cadmus' mouth was dry. He had come here to challenge and confront this dark being, but a part of him had never believed in a face-to-face encounter with Death. He hadn't thought it possible. He was angry, ever so angry, but something about the hooded figure, frail as it appeared, **demanded** respect. Antioch's habitually authoritative figure paled in comparison. Antioch looked scared, even.

The rough disembodied chuckle sent chills down their spines. It soon grew into a coarse laughter, which they heard with their minds more than their ears. And then Death – it still felt weird to consider it a tangible being – slowly raised his arms. The sleeves of the thin, silky robes, which looked as if they were sewn from fragments of shadows, slid back to reveal a pair of skeletal hands. These hands hit each other slowly, again and again, in a vague imitation of clapping. Without flesh and blood, there was no audible sound, but that only rendered it all the more frightening. Death is silent, after all.

"_Peverells…_" The voice was a low hiss, and didn't seem to be coming from the hooded figure's throat.

Antioch regained just enough ability of movement to swallow hard. He had forgotten to breathe, and his lungs demanded air.

"_Ah…_" It sounded rather amused.

Cadmus' brow furrowed. He took a more menacing stance, trying to ignore the cold sweat that was breaking out all over his body. "I-I've…" He couldn't finish his sentence. His voice sounded too small and weak, and the words caught at his throat. _I've been looking for you! Give me back Rhea, you accursed parasite! _It had sounded fine in his head, but…

The silent clapping ceased and Death let his sleeves slide over his hands again. Ignotius was glad to have the horrifying sight covered, but he couldn't relax just yet.

"_Peverells… I must congratulate you. Such a clever idea, building a bridge… certainly worthy of commendation… and compensation…_"

Ignotius could feel unseen eyes on him, and he shivered. There was something mocking in the tone of voice, even though the teasing was covered by layers of fear-inspiring overtones. Of course, a bridge wasn't anything impressive. At all. Cadmus would've probably thought of it too if he had been calm. And Antioch… well, he was always hot-blooded.

"_To award you for your cunning…_"

Ignotius narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"_I am willing to... grant you each an object. Anything you wish for. Your heart's deepest desire. But only one each. So choose wisely._" Another bemused blood-curdling laugh.

Antioch's eyes widened. Death was offering him anything he wanted? Anything at all? It only took him a heartbeat to decide. His smile grew wide, and he stepped forwards. "Death, I am Antioch, eldest of the Peverell brothers," he proclaimed with newfound confidence.

"_Yes. I am aware of that._"

"Ah… well, then you must also know that I am the strongest wizard in this village. In this country."

The hooded figure didn't agree, but neither did it interrupt.

"Um… yes. As you have seen, I have lost my wand."

A slight nod.

"I desire another one! The greatest wand ever, to match a great wizard such as myself. A wand that can win any duel, against any opponent." Antioch finished speaking, and bit his lower lip nervously.

Death nodded. "_That can be arranged, valiant warrior._" Ignotius thought he heard sarcasm, but Antioch noticed nothing.

Death pulled something out from his shadowy robes, and held it forwards, intending to give it to the eldest Peverell. It was a stick of fine polished black wood.

Antioch swallowed hard. Was he supposed to walk up and claim his prize? He almost lost his nerve, but the temptation of the supposedly unlimited power being offered was too great. He stepped forwards, and gingerly received the wand, taking care to avoid contact with Death's fingers.

Cadmus wasted no time introducing himself as his brother had. "Death!" he roared, his ability to speak returned along with the rekindled flame of his anger. "I ask only one thing from you! And that is Rhea!"

If Death was taken aback by Cadmus' insolence and daring, he didn't show it. He only nodded. "_You wish to return her from the realm of the dead?_"

"I do," Cadmus confirmed solemnly.

"_Then I will give you the power to do so, dedicated lover._" Death once again took something from his robes. At that distance and in that lighting, it appeared to be a small bundle.

Cadmus didn't seem to care what it was. He stepped forwards, much more recklessly than his brother, and snatched it out of the skeletal hand. He shivered when the back of his hand brushed against the fleshless palm, then he stepped back.

Ignotius felt the unseen eyes focus on him once more. _What…? I… _He looked at his brothers uncertainly.

Antioch was running his fingers up and down his new wand, a thousand times more elegant than his former one, now lost in the unnatural water. "_Lumos,_" he whispered, and gave a start. The light emanating from his new wand was so bright one would have thought it was the middle of the day instead of before dawn. In this new light, Ignotius caught a glimpse of his brother's awed, greedy expression before Antioch cancelled out the spell.

Cadmus was staring at something cupped in his hands, his mouth agape. Whatever it was, Cadmus seemed to know that it would solve his problems. What was it he had wanted again? To bring Rhea back from the dead? Ignotius shivered at the thought.

"_What is your desire, passionate hero?_"

Ignotius hugged himself to try to keep warm. He didn't want anything. Antioch came here to prove his power, Cadmus came to find lost love, and he… he came to keep his brothers out of trouble. That was all. He was happy with his life. There wasn't anything he wanted more than to leave and go home safely.

Sighing, he looked into the depth of the darkness, at where Death's face should have been, if it wasn't covered.

"My brothers have each received their heart's desire, and I thank you on their behalf. But may I first ask a question before I make a demand?"

**Author's Notes: **What do you guys think about my, um… personification of Death? I'm kind of nervous about that… I put off this chapter for so long because I just didn't know how to write it, lol. Anyway. The fun begins next chapter. Fun being extreme angst and death, lol. …at least I think it will. TT


	5. The Deathly Hallows

**Author's Notes: **Well, as you may or may not know, I haven't had Internet for the past week or so. So I've been writing, lol. This is... actually just a filler chapter, but I've got more sitting on my hard drive. :)

**Disclaimer: **Don't own Harry Potter. This is fan-made and intended only for entertainment.

Ignotius sat alone in their living room, running his fingers over the silky material of the cloak. It was made of a soft and cold material, unlike anything he had ever seen before.

&

_Ignotius Peverell stood facing the otherworldly being, hands balled into fists at his sides. He took a deep breath before speaking. _

"_My brothers have each received their heart's desire, and I thank you on their behalf. But may I first ask a question before I make a demand?" _

_Death didn't pause. "Ask, Peverell."_

"_How do you sneak up on your victims?"_

_Cadmus tore his gaze away from the object in his hands to shoot him a perplexed glance._

_A chilling laugh. "You ask daring questions, bold inquisitor. Very well. Silence, and Invisibility."_

_Ignotius took some time to think this over. "And what if your victim was also silent and invisible?"_

_Death lifted his head, and his hood slid slightly. "That would… prove troubling." He wasn't laughing anymore, and the unseen eyes were focused on Ignotius in a considering manner. _

_The Peverell dipped his head in agreement, lost in thought. "I see… well, Death, since you have so kindly offered, I ask the ability to become invisible to you and to human eyes alike."_

_Antioch frowned. Was his brother being a coward again? He shook his head in exasperation._

_Death honestly hesitated. A dead silence filled the air during the long, uncomfortable pause. Then the laughing resumed. "It shall be done, Peverell," Death said in the same voice, but separately from his steady amused laughing. The way he could talk and laugh at once reminded Ignotius of his inhumanity, and caused the Peverell to tense. _

_The laughing escalated. The river began to gain speed once more beneath the bridge, which shook precariously. The wind picked up again, drawing the attentions of Ignotius' older brothers. It swirled around Death's figure, and covered him in a cloak of darkness. _

_Then the sky began to brighten. The first rays of the sun shone in the distant horizon. At the spot on the bridge where Death had been standing just a moment ago was a silky cloak, the only proof that Death was ever there. No, what Antioch and Cadmus each received as well. They were the only reassurance that the brothers hadn't imagined the whole unbelievable otherworldly encounter. _

&

Antioch leaned against his favourite elder tree, his precious treasure safely tucked away in his belt next to his money pouch and covered by a heavy cloak. He took a look around, making sure there was no one to bear witness to his experiments. Other than himself, the area was deserted. Perfect.

His hand closed on his new magical weapon, and he drew it. It was gracefully elegant in the gleam of the sunlight, a thing of darkness. He briefly wondered just what it was made of. Absently, his hand moved up to his neck. His eyebrows raised in surprise when he realized he was fingering his scar.

Herk. Antioch would never, could never, forget about him. He was the shadow at the back of his mind, the one who crushed his pride and haunted his dreams. Well, Antioch thought, how strong is he against the power of Death? For there was a strange feel to the wand that reminded him of the hooded figure and the previous night's encounter. A smile crept upon the elder brother's face. He would crush Herk, and all his other challengers. No wizard would be able to stand in his way now.

&

Cadmus sat in the darkness of his room. The sun was up, but his blinds were drawn. He didn't crave the sun's light anymore. All he wanted was the warmth he received in Rhea's presence. He caressed the cool stone in his hands. Antioch gets a wand... and I get a stone. How will such a thing… But he knew. The instant he touched the stone, he knew what it could do. Calling back souls from the dead… by wishing it? He turned his hand over. The back of his hand, which had brushed against Death, was pale and cold. He shivered.

Closing his eyes, he drew on the power of the stone. His fingers, moving on their own, turned the stone over three times. For a long agonizing moment, nothing happened. Then he began to hear voices. Long distant wails, in his mind. He clenched the stone tighter and strained to hear. His mind was halfway in the world of the dead. He felt ghost-like entities regarding this living intruder curiously. He reached out and grabbed at them…

His eyes shot open. The stone had grown warm in his grasp, and he dropped it. Long wisps of a smoky substance were coming out of it, and solidifying into ghostly shapes bearing human resemblance.

What have I done? He thought, panicked. Did he really just enter the world of the dead and bring back a handful of random souls with him? No! Something about the face that was trying to take form startled him. No! His spiritual hand let go, and the ghostly forms faded, returning to their world, where they belonged. The wailing ceased.

Panting, his face pale and drawn, Cadmus curled up in a ball and hugged himself, trying desperately to erase what he had just witnessed from his mind.

&

Ignotius was honestly torn between clutching the cloak with both hands, never letting go and throwing it away. It reminded him too much of Death, but at the same time, it seemed a sacrilege to dispose of such an object. Besides… it was supposed to grant him the power to be invisible, right? And hide from Death… he shivered. There was something about the way Death spoke to his brothers that sounded untrustworthy. It was like he was just toying with them.

In the end, his curiosity won over his fear. Grasping it, he stood up, and put it around his shoulders, wrapping it around his body. When he looked down at himself, his heart skipped a beat and he took a step back, almost tripping over his own unseen foot. He was indeed invisible... it was as if his body wasn't even there… Ignotius couldn't stop his jaw from dropping in awe.

"Cadmus!"

Whipping off the cloak with one swift movement, he raced up the stairs. Arriving, at his brother's door, he knocked. "Cadmus?"

There was no answer, although Ignotius was sure he had heard noises from the room just a few moments ago. "Cadmus? I'm coming in." He frowned, grasped the doorknob, turned, and pushed, afraid of what he would find.

Cadmus was crying softly, his arms around his knees. "Ignotius," he greeted neutrally.

The younger brother saw the stone lying on the floor, next to his brother's foot. As soon as they had gotten home, Cadmus had dashed up to his room with the bundle. His brow creased with concern for his older brother. "Is that… Is that what Death gave you?"

Cadmus nodded slowly.

"Does it… Does it work?"

Another nod. Ignotius' breath caught.

"So you…?"

Cadmus shook his head this time, and Ignotius sighed with relief.

"Look, Cadmus, I don't know about bringing people back to life… somehow it doesn't seem right, and you don't even know what curses could be on that thing, so-"

His brother cut him off with a heated glare. "No. You can be a coward if you like, Ignotius, but I'm doing this." He seemed to be trying to convince himself as much as Ignotius. Getting to his feet shakily, his gaze hardened. "I **will** do this."

Ignotius sighed. He had tried; what more could he do? "Just be careful," he muttered, leaving the room. Cadmus could be just as stubborn as Antioch at times. He hoped his elder brother was keeping himself out of trouble.

**Author's Notes: **Okay. It wasn't that great. But the REAL drama starts next chapter. Lol, sorry.


	6. The Elder Wand

**Author's Notes: **Yo. This chapter is slightly better. SLIGHTLY.

**Disclaimer: **Don't own Harry Potter. This is fan-made and intended only for entertainment.

That evening, Antioch threw open the door of the Blue Dragon Scale grimly. He had walked through the village quickly, his strides guiding him towards a purpose. Upon his arrival, Gallus squeaked and sank in his seat, trying to avoid attention. Antioch paid him no heed. His eyes were fixed on one man.

Hermanus Celsus was lazing in front of the counter, sipping a drink. Bored eyes followed the crowd and swivelled to Antioch's direction, before looking away, uncaring. His hair was tied back and didn't obstruct his face from view, so Antioch could see his expression perfectly.

"Hey," Antioch said, his voice firm but not loud.

Hermanus merely sipped his drink again.

"**Hey**, don't ignore me!" His voice rose, and he started towards his rival.

Within a flash, Ivo Livius was in front of him, his eyes pleading. "No, please, Antioch, don't do this!"

The Peverell drew his new wand with speed obtained from years of training and pressed it to the innkeeper's neck. "Livius, please remove yourself from my path."

There was a pause, then Ivo retreated, nodding, and biting his lip in anticipation. There was going to be a duel tonight, and who was going to have to repair the inn after everyone left? He sighed.

"Herk."

The blond ignored him boldly.

"Curse you Celsus, look at me!" Losing his temper, Antioch lunged forwards and grabbed Herk by the back of his neck, his fingers digging it painfully.

Hermanus winced and spun, twisting out of the Peverell's grasp. "What do you want, Peverell? Make your demands and get out. I don't want to talk to you."

"My demands? I demand a duel, Herk."

Hermanus stared at him coolly for a moment, seeming to be considering it. Then he said flatly, "Denied."

Ivo honestly thought he was going to have to stop Antioch for committing bloodshed outside of a duel. His fist swung with frightening speed, catching the other wizard's lower jaw. Hermanus cried out, fell off his chair, rolled, and got back on his feet, wand drawn.

Antioch nodded, satisfied. He turned to take the three strides required by tradition, looking over his shoulder to make sure his opponent was doing the same.

"_Confundo_!"

Antioch was glad to see that his opponent had taken the first strike, and therefore wasn't taking a reactive role in the duel. He was, however, disappointed by Herk's choice of spell. Was he going easy on him? He repelled it with a shield charm.

Herk threw something else his way, something he couldn't identify, but his shield held anyway. Antioch smiled at the bewilderment written all over Herk's face. Why was his shield charm so strong? Antioch looked down at his wand fondly. Then he took the offensive.

"_**CONFRINGO!**_" His voice rang out loudly, and sparks flew from his wand. Herk fell flat on the floor, losing his composure as he ducked. The spell landed on some shelves, which immediately shattered. Wood splinters flew everywhere and bystanders shielded their faces from the flying debris. Ivo's eyes widened. The Blasting Curse blew a hole in his wall.

Not giving his opponent a chance to recover or surrender, he continued. "**Stupefy**!"

It hit him full force and blasted him back. Ivo couldn't just stand and watch anymore. "Antioch, please, that's enough!"

The Peverell took a deep breath and dropped his wand arm. This weapon was indeed formidable… did he just win?

Gallus' distraught voice rang out, silencing the nervous voices in the room. "He's _**dead**_," he wailed.

Antioch froze. _What?_ The Stunning Spell wasn't supposed to be able to kill. He turned. Herk was lying motionless under a beam of wood, with Gallus bent over him, unnaturally pale. "What did you just say?" His voice trembled.

Gallus looked up, eyes wide, running his fingers through red hair nervously. "He… his neck is broken." His voice crackled. He was obviously devastated by the death of the man he had idolized.

Antioch had a momentarily flash of satisfaction from that thought. _Wait, what am I thinking? How could I be glad about someone's death? _But he was. All the years of contempt harboured in his heart… the reason for his infuriation was finally gone. For good. His obsession for the last few years, the weight on his shoulders, lifted. By Death.

"Oh," was all he could say though. His voice came out neutral – he just couldn't make it sound regretful.

Stunned eyes swerved towards him. Tears rolled down Gallus' cheeks, and he wiped them away hurriedly.

"W-what is it?" Antioch asked in response to the accusatory looks. "It is unfortunate, but such accidents happen often in duels. I used a Stunning Spell," he growled defensively. Then, beaming, he added, "I don't recommend anyone to cross me. I'm the greatest dueller ever now."

It was evident they still blamed him, but no one said anything. What was there to say?

Antioch shifted uncomfortably. Really, why were they making such a big deal out of it? It wasn't intentional murder. They ought to be bowing down to his might. He turned towards the innkeeper. "That was a lot of excitement. I'm not sure I want to go home tonight. Can I stay here tonight? I'll repair your wall too."

Ivo glared at him.

"Are you going to be troublesome too? Just give me a room and I'll be gone by dawn!" he half-shouted.

The owner of the now torn-down establishment hesitated, but consented.

&

The boy was a pickpocket living off his dishonorable skills. He had many victims, but he never forgot the most prominent of them. Antioch Peverell, the wizard he had tried and failed to rob from. So when he saw Antioch walking purposely towards the inn, he felt compelled to follow. An hour later, he would consider it the best decision he had made during his entire miserable life.

He sighed when the wizard walked in and settled himself near the window. It was a wizards-only inn, so he couldn't come in. His eyes soon widened when he got to witness a duel. This Antioch fellow was strong. He had been let off easy last time, during his failed theft attempt.

Then the wall burst open. The commotion was chaotic, and the street urchin figured out that Antioch had accidentally slain his opponent. _He must not know his own strength…_ What a disgusting lack of self-control. Even as a non-wizard, the boy felt that way.

Such raw power though. It was amazing. That was when he made the decision. Antioch was staying at the inn tonight. He would go and steal his wand. He had failed once before, but sleeping targets were easier. He just had to climb in through the window…

Fortunately for him, Antioch left his window open. The agile boy had only to find a ladder, 'borrow' it, and climb in. What he didn't know was that there was a spell on the Blue Dragon Scale that sounded an alarm whenever a Muggle entered, but the damage done to the wall of the inn had cancelled it out.

Heart pounding, he arrived at the windowsill. He pushed it open just a bit more so he could fit though, and jumped in, landing with a small thump. His heart skipped a beat, but Antioch slept on. The man was exhausted. Trembling fingers moved closer to the sleeping man. Antioch had just crashed into bed, his clothes still on and wand still in hand.

The thief grasped the other end of the wand with one hand, and tried to slide it out of Antioch's limp grasp. Sharp eyes shot open. "What the-?"

He had no time to think. He grabbed his pocket knife and slashed. Antioch's eyes widened in pain. Vocal cords severed, his cry died in his throat, and his head lolled over on the pillow.

The dark blood was sticky as it rolled down the blade in thick drops and onto his fingers. It had splashed onto the bed, and covered the front of Antioch's shirt. It was still flowing out of the gruesome fatal wound. Exclaiming in horror and disgust, the murderer dropped the blood-stained knife and disappeared out the window with the Elder Wand. And so Death claimed his first victim.

**Author's Notes: **Um... so... what do you think?


	7. The Ressurection Stone

**Author's Notes: **Yeah...

**Disclaimer: **Don't own Harry Potter. This is fan-made and intended only for entertainment.

Rian worked his way to the Peverells' household, not without difficulty. The Crew was concerned about their leader, and sent him as their representative. He had taken the task eagerly, but now that he was at the doorstep, he hesitated. He didn't think the Peverells let Muggles into their home…

Gathering his courage, he knocked. He waited, shifting his weight, for a few seconds. What if Cadmus wasn't home? What if that brute Antioch answered the door? Or his parents? What would he say?

Thankfully, it was Ignotius who poked his head through the door curiously. Seeing Rian, his face lit up. "Oh, hey." He smiled warmly. "It's you. Come to see Cadmus, I presume?"

Rian nodded furiously, his head bobbing up and down ridiculously in his nervousness.

Ignotius laughed, but he looked sad. "Cadmus' spirits aren't too high right now. He's secluded in his room."

"Oh." Rian looked down at his feet. "Should I not have come?"

"No, no! I think it'd be good for him to have someone to talk to. He needs friends. Come in. His room is upstairs, first door to your right. Now pardon me, but I must go to town. Ivo called us for some reason. I was just about to leave when you showed up." Smiling, Ignotius stepped away from the door to let him in. "Oh, please don't touch anything. Antioch likes to put Anti-Muggle spells on all his stuff." And with that, he Disapparated.

Rian blinked in confusion. It was the first time he had stepped into a wizarding residence. The urge to explore was great, but Ignotius' warning stuck. He decided he liked the youngest Peverell. He was very friendly towards Muggles, for a wizard. Rian went up the stairs, and knocked on the first door to his right.

&

Herk's sister, Rosalie Celsus, was devastated. She had learned the horrible news about her brother earlier that day, and laid eyes upon his cold pale face. An accident, Ivo had said. A Stunning Spell gone haywire. They could not demand a trial for accidents taken place in duels. And how would one hold a grudge against a dead man anyway? Antioch had been murdered that very night as well. _He deserved it, _she told herself bitterly, in an attempt to ease her pain.

Rosalie saw Ignotius leave the Blue Dragon Scale, an expression of disbelief on his face. So he had just heard. He looked up, and her eyes met his. There was a flicker of recognition in them.

She moved closer to him. "Hello, Peverell."

Ignotius looked uncomfortable. "Ah. Celsus, right? I'm… My condolences for your brother. It might have been an accident, but Antioch was at fault."

She brushed away his apology with a wave of her hand, but she internally agreed. _Of course it's his fault! _"I'm sorry for your brother," she muttered, crossing her arms.

Ignotius shrugged. "They're going to look for his murderer. All they took was the wand, apparently." He hung his head.

Rosalie frowned. "Why the wand?"

Ignotius sighed. "It's complicated."

"Ah." An uncomfortable silence fell between the two of them. Her eyes began to water, and a tear trickled down her cheek. _Am I crying?_

Ignotius looked taken aback. He was alarmed, and wondering if he was at fault. "Are... are you alright?" he asked carefully.

Her vision blurred, and she wiped away the tears with the back of her hand. She hated crying in public, especially in front of Herk's murderer's brother. "I'm fine," she tried to say, but the words were blocked by a sob.

The awkward tension escalated. Then she felt him put his arms around her tentatively. God, why did he have to be such a gentleman? It would have been so much easier if he was more hate-able like his brother.

"I… I told him it was dangerous, but he always had to be so **noble**… it was infuriating. I told him to stay away from the inns, I told him not to duel so much… He did it anyway though. Said that for every enemy he made, he gained at least a dozen friends. He just wouldn't **listen**," she said, regarding her brother. _Why the devil am I explaining myself to him? _

Ignotius merely nodded his understanding.

&

"**Go away**."

That was the greeting Cadmus gave when he heard the knock on his door. What did Ignotius want now?

"Uh, Cadmus? Sorry, it's me."

The voice was familiar… a member of the Crew, no doubt. Darrell, perhaps? No, that wasn't it… Cadmus buried his head in his arms again. It didn't matter who it was. He didn't want to see anyone but Rhea.

"Cadmus?"

Irritated, Cadmus violently slammed his fist against the wall. He walked over to the door and swung it open. "What is it you want?" he asked, tired.

Rian gasped. Cadmus had looked bad at the funeral, but he was even worse up close. His normally calm eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep and crying, and his hair was a tangled mess. His robes were still dirty from his excursion and efforts at the river – he never changed out of them.

"Cadmus…"

"What?" he asked bluntly. "What do you want?"

Rian frowned. "I… I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I'm fine."

The younger man creased his brow. What Cadmus said was law – that was how it was with the Crew. How it was during all Crew activities. But on a personal level? Cadmus, great charismatic wizard as he was, was as human as the rest of them. And Rian might have come on as a messenger on behalf of the Crew, but also to ensure Cadmus' well-being. "You don't look fine to me," he shot back.

Cadmus' eyebrows raised in surprise. He hadn't been expecting a rebuke. Then his handsome face distorted in anger again. "What do you know about me, **Muggle**?" he spat, before slamming the door in a most undignified manner.

The sound of the closing door hurt. _He's right, _Rian realized in dismay. The Crew admired, **idolized**, the talented Legilimens (he wondered if Cadmus had been reading his mind), but he shared little of what was on his mind with them. Discouraged, Rian left.

&

As soon as he heard the retreating footsteps, Cadmus picked up the gift Death had given him. His heart beat faster. Why was he so scared? He held in his hands formidable power. Was he such a coward he couldn't even find the strength to use it? This anxiety… he cursed it.

_I have to stop putting it off. It does no good to delay it. Every moment without her by my side is agonizing… _he sighed. Reason demanded he do it, but fear stayed his hand. _Why… I'm not scared of Death. There's nothing to be scared of, _he told himself angrily.

He gave the stone a tight squeeze, then turned it over in his hand three times.

He felt her before she saw her. A pale ghostly figure appeared before him, which slowly filled in. Her face… it was just as he remembered it, but there was an emptiness in her eyes.

"_Cadmus…_" Her voice was sad and hollow, but it was her familiar voice. He felt a tugging at his heart.

"Rhea…" He felt his tears well up. He stepped closer to her figure cautiously, as if she was a small animal he would scare away with sudden movement.

She moved towards him a bit in turn. Her feet brushed the floor soundlessly, as if she wasn't really there, on their material plane. "_Cadmus… why am I here?_" she asked in a forlorn voice.

Her words were like a bolt through his heart. He swallowed hard, and his breathing intensified. "You don't want to be here?" he asked, not taking his eyes off her face.

She tilted her head to one side. "_Cadmus… I shouldn't be here._"

His face twisted up painfully. "But… why not? Why not? I love you, Rhea… I just want to be with you," he professed honestly.

She moved closer, to put her arms around his neck. He felt them, but they were cold and immaterial. They bore a striking similarity to the feel of Death's hand when he had brushed against it, but less intense. _The difference is the lack of fear, _he realized. Death's touch had scared him, but he couldn't fear the woman he loved. There was no way he could. She rested her head on his chest. His heartbeat quickened. Her existence, her presence, seemed so precarious… it felt as if she could disappear into thin air at any given moment.

"_I know… and I'm grateful for it. But I can't… this world has nothing to offer me anymore. People can't come back from the dead as if nothing ever happened. I'm so sorry, Cadmus._"

He was crying now. "But then… how? How can I be with you?"

She looked up at him. "_You can't, Cadmus. I belong in the realm of the dead. You're going to have to let me go, and move on._"

He turned his head. "I can't do that."

"_You must,_" she insisted.

"No. I'd rather die with you," he declared.

Her dead eyes grew wide with alarm. "_You can't do that, Cadmus! You mustn't!_"

He looked at her, pleadingly. "Of course I can. I know it sounds like some foolish impulsive decision on my part, but I've thought it over." He took one of her hands in his and caressed it softly. "There is no point to living on without you. It would be less painful for me to kill myself and be with you forever. If I do so, will you promise to be with me on the other side?" He smiled.

"_Cadmus, it isn't your time! What about your friends, your family? The Crew?_"

He sighed. "It is regrettable, but they can carry on without me. My family will understand." He took out his wand, and levitated a scroll of parchment and an ink bottle. Still holding on to Rhea's hand with the other arm, he levitated a quill, and scribbled a note to his parents.

"_Cadmus…_" she sighed sadly.

"Don't try to convince me otherwise, please," he said. "I just need you to promise that you'll be with me forever."

If the dead could cry, she would have done so. "_I promise,_" she said, resigning.

"Thank goodness. That's all I need."

And so the man who had dared challenge Death surrendered.

**Author's Notes: **Omg, this was really cheesy at the end, ne? XD I'm sorry, but I just suck like that. Bear with me, please. I'm no good at writing suicidal thoughts and despite being a hopeless romantic, I can't write romance very well. At all.


	8. The Invisibility Cloak

**Author's Notes: **Ah... yes. I don't like this chapter that much, although some of it's interesting. The dialogue is... blah. So yes, I've got mixed feelings about it (and this whole story, for that matter) lol.

**Disclaimer: **Don't own Harry Potter. This is fan-made and intended only for entertainment.

Ignotius' father stared down his last son.

"That is the truth? You three met Death? My sons were taken by an embodiment of Death?" He looked harder, but Ignotius was the image of honesty and regret that it was the truth.

"Yes Father."

The Peverell shook his head. "How? How is this possible?"

"There is no fooling a Legilimens such as yourself, Father. I cannot tell you anything more beyond what you saw," Ignotius replied.

His father nodded gravely. "Please leave me, Ignotius. I need some time to think."

"As you wish."

"Oh, Ignotius?" he said as the younger wizard made for the door. "Son, please take care of yourself. I know nothing about that cloak of yours, so I cannot take charge. Do as you please with it, but please be careful. Antioch and Cadmus had their strong points, but neither was very good at thinking over their decisions," he said honestly. "I trust your judgment though, so I'll let you decide what to do with your own possessions, but…"

Ignotius nodded. "Of course, Father."

His father smiled humorlessly at him, then bent down to read Cadmus' suicide note once more.

Ignotius left the room, his mind heavy with thoughts. He closed the door behind him, and donned his cloak. Death had taken his brothers… now he had to hide and wait it out.

&

Rian was just as shocked as everyone else at the news. Ivo didn't want it to get out too quickly, fearing for his inn's reputation, but there was nothing he could do, and he knew it. The Peverells knew they couldn't hide Cadmus' suicide for long, and didn't bother. And before long, the whole community knew that the eldest Peverell sons were dead and the third was laying low. What they didn't know was why.

Rian ran his fingers through his hair. What would they do now? The Crew was leaderless, and it was only a matter of time before they broke up. He sighed. He had hoped to establish some form of communication with Cadmus when he went to visit, encourage and maybe even comfort him if he needed it… but he had accomplished nothing. He still didn't understand their leader, and he never would. He was on the hill, the one Cadmus often Apparated to when he needed to think. It was a special place for him, and he never held meetings here. Rian himself had stumbled on it by accident, and he didn't think Cadmus was happy to see him there.

He fingered the grass absently. He had tried so hard to get closer to the wizard, whom he admired. But he knew Cadmus never really saw Muggles as equal to wizards. He had looked down on them, and now he had left them all behind.

&

Gallus watched the reparation of the inn. He was a regular customer, having no family of his own to tend to. The rooster-like man sat on a wooden crate, with a bottle of whiskey hanging limply in one hand.

"Hey, move it." The redhead looked up to see an angry Muggle glaring down at him. "You're sitting on my stuff."

"Don't you know what I am?" Gallus asked in what was intended to be a strong voice, pointing at his wand.

The Muggle was unimpressed by his wizard status. "Move it," he growled dangerously.

He complied, and the man lifted up the crate and walked away. Gallus sighed, and took another swing of whiskey. He never got any respect from anyone around here. Everyone picked on him, not just Antioch. Sure, he was glad that the Peverell was gone, but he still regretted the incident.

Because of Herk's death. Gallus had admired Hermanus. He was a real hero. He was strong yet kind. Brave yet modest. Antioch's death that night was little consolation for the loss of his hero. Because Gallus was still treated like scum. He had a low-quality wand he could barely use, and was forced to labor like a Muggle to survive. He still liked to tell himself that Antioch was murdered as vengeance for Herk by an admirer of his hero, and regretted that he didn't have the guts to slit the Peverell's throat himself.

&

Rosalie Celsus left her brother's funeral more accepting of Herk's absence and strangely agitated at Ignotius'. _I don't get it. Why does it matter if the Peverell wasn't there? Maybe it's just because it's only right for him to pay his respects to my brother, being related to that murderer and all. _She nodded. _That must be it. _But her thoughts kept flashing back to the previous day, when he had held her in front of the inn, and she blushed.

_What am I doing? It won't do to think of him like that. Not Ignotius Peverell, of all people. _But she had felt a strange reassurance when she was with him, and he seemed far nicer than his brothers.

Before she knew it, her absent-minded footsteps had carried her to the edge of the village. The Peverells lived near her location. _I… guess it couldn't hurt to drop by and see how he's doing. He had just lost both his brothers, after all. Maybe he's really deep in mourning or something. _She couldn't understand why she cared so much about what he felt.

It was his father who opened the door. His eyebrows raised in surprise when he saw the beautiful young lady at his doorstep. "Hello. What might you be looking for?" he asked curtly.

She smiled politely. She hadn't expected Ignotius' father, a renowned wizard, to answer her knocking. "Ah… I, I am Rosalie Celsus. I was wonder if Ignotius was present."

The Peverell's brow creased ever so slightly. "Celsus?"

She bit her lip. "Um, actually, it's alright if Ignotius isn't available. It wasn't important anyway."

A smile appeared on the man's face. "No, stay. I was just wondering what a charming young woman like you would want with my son. I'll go get him." And he closed the door on Rosalie's reddening face.

&

Ignotius was rather regretting his decision by now, and wondering just how he planned to live out his life invisible. Maybe he'd slip out occasionally, when it looked safe. After all, if he kept hiding, he might as well be dead. Yes, he'd talk to people, interact with others.

So when his father told him there was a 'charming young lady' standing outside waiting for him, he poked his head out from under his cloak, intrigued.

His father looked up at the staircase where his disembodied head floated. "Ah, there you are. You better not leave her waiting for long, son. You might never get another chance with a girl like that."

Ignoring his father's teasing, he asked, "Who is it? Did she leave a name?"

His father chuckled. "She did. Rosalie Celsus, do you know her?"

_Rosalie? What is she doing here? _He removed the cloak completely and descended the stairs, not without caution. The last thing he wanted was to fall and break his neck in his haste.

He opened the door, and sure enough, the Celsus daughter was waiting. "Ignotius."

He blinked in surprise. "Ah, good afternoon, Rosalie. How… how do you do?"

"I'm fine, thank you." A pause. "And yourself?"

"Fine."

"Are you sure?" He looked up in surprise, causing her to play with her hands nervously. "I mean… I heard about Cadmus."

"Oh. That." And he fell silent.

"I mean, it must be horrible to…"

He sighed. "He misused his stone."

"The what?"

Ignotius smiled grimly, and told her everything about Cadmus' plans, meeting Death, and the gifts they were given.

She listened in silence, and when he was done, she asked, "…So that cloak in your hands….?"

"That's correct." He draped it over himself and disappeared. Rosalie gave a small start, the he reappeared.

"Huh. That's… quite interesting."

"You don't believe me." He frowned, dejected.

"No!" she quickly denied. "It's just… hard to wrap my mind around."

"Oh."

Her eyes fell to the ground for a moment, and when she looked back up, they shone with curiosity. "Can't we just use this… resurrection stone to bring everyone back?"

Ignotius' eyes grew wide and he grabbed her arm in alarm. "_No!_"

She pulled back, startled by his sudden violent behavior.

"Ah, sorry," he apologized and quickly drew back. "But Cadmus' abuse of power over Death brought about his downfall. You mustn't."

She nodded reluctantly. "I suppose you're right."

He frowned. "You mustn't. I was torn by Cadmus' demise. Antioch as well. They weren't the nicest people ever, I know, but they were my brothers, and they had so much potential in them. Antioch truly was a great duelist, and Cadmus could have put his charisma and intelligence to good use. They were role models to me, to an extent. But I could tell their actions weren't right. They didn't feel right. But I was the youngest; I had no right to question them. Yet I can't help feeling as though I should have done something to stop them. Now I don't want someone else to suffer, so please, abandon the idea, despite how tempting it sounds," he said, his eyes pleading with her.

Rosalie was taken aback by his sudden speech and his honesty. "I will," she answered, unable to deny him after that heartfelt profession.

He smiled, eyes lighting up. "Thank you."

He had moved in closer during his monologue, and had her in his arms. It was a natural movement. He barely realized, or cared about, the implications of their close proximity. They stayed like that for a while, looking into each other's eyes, before she coughed awkwardly and stepped back.

"So, uh, do you plan to stay invisible forever?" she asked, trying to smile and make it sound like a joke.

He chuckled. "I'm not sure how exactly that would work, or what the point to that would be. I suppose I'll come out from time to time," he said, then added without thinking, "for certain people."

She blushed hotly at his comment. "Is that so?"

He blinked, realized what he had said. "Oh, well, yes."

"I, um, suppose I'll be going now," she said.

"Will you be back?" he asked hopefully.

She looked up at him in surprise."I… If you want me back," she answered awkwardly.

"It... might get a little lonely by myself."

She blushed. "That's true. I suppose I'll drop by and come visit you when I can," she said matter-of-factly.

He smiled. "Thank you." And his eyes shone. He was going to live.

**Author's Notes: **I know. The ending is just... ARGH. Doesn't cut properly. Sorry, I got really stuck near the end. Didn't know what to do with it. We've got an epilogue coming up, and then I'm DONE! Whoot! I'll try to make the epilogue good. Mmm.


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